Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

No declaration of interest was received.

No urgent matters at the time of dispatch of this agenda.

None to report.

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 25 November 2019.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 25 November, 2019 were presented for the Executive’s approval.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 25 November, 2019 be confirmed as correct, subject to noting that Councillor Carwyn Jones was present at the meeting.

To submit a report by the Head of Democratic Services.

The report of the Head of Democratic Services incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from January to August, 2020 was presented for consideration and the following changes were noted - 

•           New Items  

•           Item 6 – Annual Equality Report 2018/19 –  a delegated decision for the Social Services Portfolio Member for publication in March, 2020.

•           Item 23 – Discretionary Housing Policy Payments Policy (for the 23 March, 2020 meeting of the Executive)

•           Item 28 – Welsh Language Standards  Annual Report (for the June, 2020 meeting of the Executive)

•           Item 30 – Corporate Scorecard (Q4 2019/20) (for the June, 2020 meeting of the Executive)

•           Item 31 – 2019/20 Revenue Budget Monitoring Report (Q4 2019/20) (for the June, 2020 meeting of the Executive)

•           Item 32 - 2019/20 Capital Budget Monitoring Report (Q4 2019/20) (for the June, 2020 meeting of the Executive)

•           Item 33 – 2019/20 HRA Budget Monitoring Report (Q4 2019/20) (for the June, 2020 meeting of the Executive)   

•           Additional Items and Meetings not on the Published Work Programme

•           Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Service  - for the 27 January, 2020 meeting

•           20 January 2020 – extraordinary meeting of the Executive to consider Schools’ Modernisation (pre-decision Scrutiny scheduled for 14 January, 2020)

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Work Programme for the period from January to August, 2020 with the additional changes outlined at the meeting.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 incorporating the Treasury Management Mid-Year Review Report was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the Treasury Management Mid-Year Review report is presented in accordance with the reporting requirements of  CIPFA’s Code of Practice on Treasury Management and provides a mid-year update on the economic situation, the Council’s capital expenditure position and compliance with prudential indicators and its  investment and borrowing activity half-way through the financial year and considers, whether in light of these, the TM Strategy needs to be revised. The report will be presented to the Full Council taking into account any comments made thereon by the Executive.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer highlighted the following –

•           That the mid-year review report has been scrutinised by the Audit and Governance Committee and was accepted without additional comment by that Committee.

•           That the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) on which the Authority has previously relied as its main source of funding summarily announced a 1% increase in the borrowing rate on 9 October, 2019 meaning that the Authority now has to fundamentally consider alternative, cheaper sources of borrowing.

•           That the Council’s investment objectives are in accordance with the TM Strategy adopted by the Council on 27 February, 2019 and remain the security of the capital invested, the availability of the funds when needed and return on investments. As at 30 September, 2019, the Council held £8.5m of investments with banks with ready access to the funds with other slightly longer term investments with local authorities (paragraph 5.7 of the report refers).The latter are seen as the most secure way of investing funds giving a greater rate of return than most bank call accounts.

•           That the Council has not borrowed to the level projected at the start of the year due mainly to the pause in the Schools’ Modernisation Programme meaning that less expenditure than anticipated has been incurred.

•           That the Council is complying with all the Prudential Indicators that were set and approved as part of the 2019/20 TM Strategy.

•           That there are no policy changes to the TM Strategy Statement.

It was resolved to note the content of the report and to forward the report to the Full Council without further comment.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Direction of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer incorporating a schedule of proposed fees and charges for 2020/21 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that traditionally, revised fees and charges would be implemented from 1 April of the next financial year. However, as part of a number of measures needed to respond to the current difficult financial situation the Executive is asked to approve early implementation of many of these fees and charges from the 1 February, 2020. Most of the increases in fees and charges proposed from 1 February, 2020 were also implemented early last year from 1 February, 2019 meaning they have therefore been in place for a whole year. Where the increase in fees and charges is prescribed by statute, those fees and charges will continue to be implemented from 1 April in line with the financial year. Income budgets for non-statutory fees and charges for 2020/21 have been increased by an average of 3% across each individual service.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer advised that although the income target was set at 3% across services, Heads of Services have had the latitude to increase individual fees by more or less than 3% to reflect service requirements and demand. Fees and charges relating to schools will be implemented on 1 September, 2020.

The Chair commented that the Finance Scrutiny Panel is planning to undertake a piece of scrutiny work on fees and charges and that the outcome of the Panel’s review will be reported in due course.

It was resolved to approve the schedule of Fees and Charges for 2020/21 as outlined in the booklet under Appendix A to the report.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer setting out the amendments to be made to the Council’s Constitution to reflect changes to the staffing structure of the Senior Leadership Team and Heads of Service was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Corporate Business reported that changes by the Chief Executive to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Heads of Service staffing structures are to be reflected in the Council’s Constitution and the delegation afforded to each member of SLT updated accordingly.  (Amended staffing structure shown in Enclosure 2 to the report).The current re-structure represents a saving to the Isle of Anglesey County Council reducing the cost of the Corporate Management Team from £682k to £568k. The Executive is asked to consider the changes and to make a recommendation thereon to the Full Council.

It was resolved to recommend to the Full Council that it –

·         Notes the amendments, and confirms its agreement to the new structure as included in Enclosure 2 to the report which shows :

1.             

·         A change in job titles and specifications to the Senior Leadership Team and Heads of Service roles;

·         The removal of two Assistant Chief Executive roles;

·         The insertion of one new Deputy Chief Executive role;

·         The removal of two Heads of Function roles;

·         The insertion of five new Director roles, and

·         an amendment to the reporting lines between member of the Senior Leadership Team and Heads of Service.

·         Confirms its approval to the insertion of Enclosure 2 in the Council’s Constitution.

·         Confirms its approval to the changes in the delegation noted in Enclosure 3.

·         Confirms its approval for any future Director appointments to be made by the Appointments Committee, and

·         Confirms its approval for such other consequential amendments to be made to the Constitution to reflect the above recommendations.

In closing the meeting, the Chair thanked the Council’s staff and Elected Members for their work and commitment over the past year and wished all a happy Christmas and New Year.